Indonesia mosque blasts injure dozens, teen suspect identified

• Seventeen-year-old suspect undergoing surgery: official.
• Police say 55 were injured in explosions during Friday prayers.
• The mosque is located in the school complex.
  

Mosque explosions in the Indonesian capital Jakarta that injured dozens of people during Friday prayers could have been an attack, officials said, with a 17-year-old suspect.

Police said 55 people were hospitalized with a range of minor to serious injuries, including burns, after the blasts at the mosque inside a school complex in Kelapa Gading district.

“The explosion was loud, so loud I couldn’t breathe because I was in shock,” said Luciana, 43, who was working in the school canteen at the time. He described multiple explosions and panic as dozens fled the compound.

“I thought it was a short circuit or the sound system blew up – we were so scared we rushed out.”

Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasko Ahmad, speaking to the media after visiting a hospital, said the young male suspect underwent surgery, without elaborating on a possible motive.

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At a press conference, Jakarta City Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri said an investigation was underway.

“We have taken many measures, such as investigating the crime scene, setting up a police line and sterilizing the area,” Suheri said.

Indonesia does have a history of attacking churches and Western targets – but not mosques. Islamist militancy has been largely suppressed in recent years.

News channel KompasTV showed footage of a green-painted mosque with a row of shoes outside, cordoned off with police tape. There were no signs of damage to the exterior.

State news agency Antara quoted Deputy Security Minister Lodewijk Freidrich as saying there were two explosions.

Black-clad police officers carrying assault rifles guarded the compound’s iron gates, with emergency vehicles and armored police vehicles on the street outside.

The complex is located in a busy area of ​​North Jakarta on land largely owned by the navy, where many military and retired officers live.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sadness and concern over the tragic explosion at a school mosque in Jakarta.

The president conveyed his condolences to the government and people of Indonesia and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the incident.

Zardari affirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Indonesia in the fight against terrorism and extremism, noting that Pakistan itself has suffered a lot and made huge sacrifices in this fight.

He added that terrorism also left a deep mark on his life as he lost close family members to terrorist acts.

He said such a personal loss strengthens his resolve to work for peace and stand firm against extremism in all its forms.

The president said that Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder with Indonesia and the international community in its commitment to defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.